Lightning strike hits tree, causes house fire

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – A lightning strike caused water and fire damage to a West Lafayette home Monday morning.

Lightning hit a tree in front of the home at 2710 N. Salisbury St. around 10 a.m. The lightning caused the bark to fly off of the tree’s trunk. It then traveled through a nearby water line into the house. The water line burst caused minor water damage to the house.

The surge continued to the back of the house, hit a gas line and caused a fire on the back porch. There was also some charring in the attic of the house.

Firefighters said it is a good reminder of the power of lightning.

“A lightning strike will travel a pretty good distance. And it looks like it traveled about 40 feet from the strike to back porch,” said West Lafayette Fire Chief Tim Heath.

The owner was home at the time of the lightning strike, but was not injured. The owner also tried fighting the fire himself before calling the fire department.